Given a choice, my next dog will also be a border collie, like our wonderdog, Mac. I love the breed – their intelligence, spirit, pure joy and beauty when they are running. Wait – that description could also fit a Marchador!

Like dogs, there are now too many horses in the U.S. It’s a problem. But while I donate to some of the rescue efforts, I would not want a different breed of horse, even for a good cause or for free. And now having raised horses from birth, that is the way to go for me. I breed Marchadors because they possess all of the characteristics that I value in a horse. They are what I want to own, ride and spend time with.

It isn’t all about the breeders; it’s also about the owners. Both produce unwanted horses. I make a commitment to SW horses. We find a new home, sell it for you or even sometimes buy it ourselves if you can no longer keep it. My dream would be for every horse to find a forever home.

Marchador Trivia

The USMMA with the help of all the importers will be writing our history and stories soon in the USMMA newsletter, perhaps to be published in a book too. Tresa Smith is heading up the tremendous effort. Here are some of the numbers to whet your appetite.

69 Marchadors have been imported from Brasil. Of the 69 imports:

1 had to be returned to Brasil when he failed testing in Miami

4 have died since being imported (only one from old age)

The oldest import is a mare born in 1982 - Formosa do Crocoto.

26 were stud colts or stallions. Of these, only 11 are still breeding.

37 mares were imported to become foundation breeding mares in 11 states with 14 breeders.

5 horses were imported as geldings.

The importers:

The Guerra family in FL – MM Horse Farms. Regal Legacy Farm, out of business, in CA, GA and OH Tresa Smith in MT – Lazy T Ranch and Montana Marchadors Premier International, out of business, in FL and CA John and Lynn Kelley in AZ, Summerwind Marchadors Susan Gabriel in CA, Dreamcatcher Ranch Rick and Liz Schatz in OK, Flying Oaks Ranch Holm and Susan Neumann in OR, Cascade Marchadors Keith Mosing in TX Peter and Lori Silcher in MT, 4 Seasons Marchadores

The foundation horses represented a great mix of bloodlines. Abaiba, Tabatinga, Favacho, Bela Cruz, Herdade, JB, Traituba, Caxambu and more. Some of the imported mares were pregnant to Brasilian stallions further adding to the genetic pool if they remained breeding animals. All of the other Marchadors found around the country are products of these original horses.